Key points:
- H2Accelerate proposes a “TCO Parity Certainty Mechanism” for hydrogen trucks.
- It would cover only the cost gap left after existing subsidies, toll exemptions and fuel credits.
- Support would be linked to hydrogen consumption or kilometres travelled, or paid as a contract for difference.
- The scheme would target zero-emission trucks of 30 tonnes and above (N3) and cross-border corridors.
- H2Accelerate wants it included in the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034).
Paying for kilometres, not for trucks
In its proposal published on 20 October, H2Accelerate describes a temporary operating subsidy awarded through competitive tenders. It would guarantee that a hydrogen truck costs the same to own and run as a diesel truck over its economic lifetime.
The key difference from today’s purchase grants is that support would be paid while the truck is working. H2Accelerate suggests three options:
- a payment per kilogram of hydrogen used,
- a payment per kilometre travelled,
- a variable contract for difference.
According to the group, this would reward vehicles that are actually used and link public money directly to emissions savings.
Only the “residual gap”
The mechanism would not replace existing support. It would sit on top of national grants, road toll exemptions, renewable fuel credits under RED III and the future ETS2 carbon price, and pay only what is still missing to reach parity with diesel.
Where national policies already make hydrogen trucks competitive, as H2Accelerate says is close to the case in Germany, the mechanism would pay little or nothing. Instead, it would act as insurance in case incentives are cut or credit prices fall.
The design principles include:
- a focus on zero-emission trucks of 30 tonnes and above,
- competitive bidding to get the best value for public money,
- support for cross-border operations on European corridors,
- regular funding rounds, with support falling as the market matures.
“Confidence that this business case will remain”
Charles Cambournac, managing director of Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility Germany, said the challenge for fleet operators is “having confidence that this business case will remain in place” for the whole life of the vehicle.
Hannah Bryson-Jones, spokesperson for H2Accelerate, said: “The final piece is providing the long-term certainty needed for customers to invest at scale.”
The proposal is the third and final paper in a series of policy recommendations from the group. H2Accelerate’s members are Daimler Truck, Linde, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, TEAL Mobility, TotalEnergies and Volvo Group.
Why manufacturers are pushing now
Truck makers face EU CO2 targets for new heavy-duty vehicles: a 45% cut by 2030, 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2040, compared with 2019. Battery-electric trucks are winning most early orders, but manufacturers see hydrogen as an option for long-distance, heavy work.
Germany is already becoming a test case for large-scale hydrogen trucking, and Daimler Truck has set a timeline for delivering 100 hydrogen trucks to customers. In 2024, H2Accelerate already called for incentives to make hydrogen trucks cost-competitive with diesel.
What it means for hauliers
For transport companies, the main barrier is not the technology but the risk. A hydrogen truck costs more to buy, refuelling stations are still rare, and hydrogen prices are uncertain. A guarantee of diesel-level costs would shift much of that risk to the public budget.
Whether it happens depends on negotiations over the EU’s next long-term budget. Until then, hauliers considering hydrogen will have to rely on national schemes, toll exemptions and fuel credits that can change from year to year.
